Component mounting method

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a component mounting method. Moved in first and second orthogonal directions is a first mounting head section having first nozzles. The first mounting head is rotated such that the first nozzles rotate and successively pickup components from a first component supply table arranged on one side of a board transfer path. These components are then successively mounted onto a board positioned in the board transfer path. Moved in third and fourth orthogonal directions is a second mounting head section having second nozzles. The second mounting head section is rotated such that the second nozzles rotate and successively pickup components from a second component supply table arranged on an opposite side of the board transfer path. These components are then successively mounted onto the board while positioned in the board transfer path.

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.09/010,490, filed Jan. 21, 1998 and now U.S. Pat. No. 6,789,310, whichis a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/740,992, filed Nov. 5,1996, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,525.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to component mounting apparatus and methodfor automatically mounting a variety of components such as electroniccomponents onto a printed circuit board or the like, and a componentmounting equipment including the apparatuses.

Generally, in an electronic component mounting apparatus, a number ofcomponent supply means are mounted in parallel to one another on acomponent supply table. In a component mounting stage, the componentsupply means are successively positioned in a specified component supplyposition according to a sequence of mounting components while moving thecomponent supply table in a direction in which the component supplymeans are arranged in parallel. Then, each of the components at thecomponent supply means is taken out by suction by a mounting headsection, and the components are transferred to a circuit boardpositioned in the circuit board positioning section to be subjected to acomponent mounting process.

This type of conventional component mounting apparatus will be describedwith reference to FIG. 6 showing a perspective view of it and FIG. 7showing a schematic plan view of it. In FIG. 6, at the front of anapparatus body 1 is provided a board positioning section 4 forpositioning a circuit board P supplied from a board supply means 2 in amounting position, and the circuit board P mounted with the requiredcomponents in the board positioning section 4 is discharged by a boarddischarge means 3. On the other hand, at the rear of the apparatus body1 is provided a component supply section 7, and a rotary type mountinghead section 8 is provided between the component supply section 7 andthe aforementioned board positioning section 4 as shown in FIG. 7.

In the component supply section 7, two component supply tables 10 and 11are laterally movably provided independently of each other on a guiderail 9. The component supply tables 10 and 11 are mounted with a numberof component supply means 12 arranged in parallel to one another in adirection in which the component supply tables 10 and 11 move. There isillustrated generally a so-called parts cassette as the component supplymeans 12, and it will be simply described below. That is, electroniccomponents of an identical type are stored and arranged at regularintervals on a carrier tape while being wound around a reel 13 ascovered with a cover tape. By drawing out the carrier tape from the reel13 to feed at a pitch equal to the storage intervals of the componentsand taking up the cover tape, the electronic component located at theleading end is positioned in a component supply position A opposite to acomponent suction head 14 of the mounting head section 8.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7, the mounting head section 8 isconstructed by providing a plurality of component suction heads 14 atregular angular intervals on an identical circle of a rotary table (notshown) provided rotatably around a vertical axis. Each component suctionhead 14 is designed to suck a component by vacuum suction means. Uponintermittently rotating the rotary table, it is stopped in steps in thecomponent supply position A and a component mounting position B in orderto concurrently perform receiving of each component from the componentsupply means 12 and mounting of each component onto the circuit board P.While one component supply table 10 is supplying components, the othercomponent supply table 11 that is retreating in a standby positionperforms changing of component supply means 12 and replenishing ofcomponents thereby achieving preparation so that the component mountingapparatus can be operated continuously.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend in that the types ofcircuit boards P to be manufactured and the types of components to bemounted on the circuit boards P are increasing. In order to cope withthe above, one solution to be considered is to increase the number ofcomponent supply means 12 to be mounted on the component supply tables10 and 11. However, in such a case, the component supply tables 10 and11 are to be elongated sidewise in order to increase the number ofcomponent supply means 12. Consequently, the length of the entirecomponent supply section 7 becomes very long, and this leads to adegraded space utilization efficiency, reducing the productivity perfloor area.

A more important issue is that the component supply tables 10 and 11 arefed at a pitch in accordance with taking out the components by themounting head section 8, and therefore, the following inconvenienceoccurs. That is, when the component supply tables 10 and 11 increase inweight due to the increase of their lengths, not only is a greater drivepower required to move the component supply tables 10 and 11 but alsothe inertial force of the component supply tables 10 and 11 increases.Therefore, vibration in feeding the component supply tables 10 and 11 ata pitch significantly increases. Consequently, it is impossible toincrease the component supply rate, or the component mounting operationspeed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide acomponent mounting apparatus and method capable of increasing thecomponent mounting operation speed without dimensionally increasing thewhole apparatus even when the types of boards and the number ofcomponents to be mounted on each board increase.

In accomplishing these and other objects, according to a first aspect ofthe present invention, there is provided a component mounting apparatuscomprising:

a pair of component supply tables on which components are accommodatedand which are arranged on both sides of a board mounting position wherea board is positioned;

a first mounting head section for successively picking up the componentsat one of the component supply tables and thereafter successivelymounting the picked-up components onto the board; and

a second mounting head section for successively picking up thecomponents at the other of the component supply tables and thereaftersuccessively mounting the picked-up components onto the board,

wherein the first and second mounting head sections are independentlyoperated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is providedthe component mounting apparatus as described in the first aspect,wherein the first and second mounting head sections are controlledmutually in operation in accordance with a timing at which, when one ofthem carries out a component picking-up operation for picking up thecomponents from the component supply table, the other of them carriesout a component mounting operation for mounting the picked-up componentsonto the board.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is providedthe component mounting apparatus as described in the first aspect,wherein one of the first and second mounting head section has componentsuction nozzles sucking the components at one time.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is providedthe component mounting apparatus as described in the second aspect,wherein one of the first and second mounting head section has componentsuction nozzles sucking the components at one time.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda component mounting equipment comprising:

a plurality of component mounting apparatuses each of which wasdescribed in the description of the first aspect,

wherein a board transfer path along which the board is supplied to theboard mounting position of the apparatus and discharged from the boardmounting position of the apparatus by a board transfer device isprovided so that the board transfer path connects the board mountingpositions of the component mounting apparatuses, and the componentsupply tables of the component mounting apparatuses are arranged on bothsides of the board mounting positions in the board transfer path.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda component mounting equipment comprising:

a plurality of component mounting apparatuses each of which wasdescribed in the description of the second aspect,

wherein a board transfer path along which the board is supplied to theboard mounting position of the apparatus and discharged from the boardmounting position of the apparatus by a board transfer device isprovided so that the board transfer path connects the board mountingpositions of the component mounting apparatuses, and the componentsupply tables of the component mounting apparatuses are arranged on bothsides of the board mounting positions in the board transfer path.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there isprovided the component mounting equipment as described in the fifthaspect, wherein the components to be mounted onto the single board areall distributed into groups by type, and the components of the groupsare accomodated in the component supply tables of the component mountingapparatus as assigned thereto.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided the component mounting equipment as described in the sixthaspect, wherein the components to be mounted onto the single board areall distributed into groups by type, and the components of the groupsare accommodated in the component supply tables of the componentmounting apparatuses as assigned thereto.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provideda component mounting method comprising steps of:

picking up by a first mounting head section components from one of apair of component supply tables on which the components are accommodatedand which are arranged on both sides of a board mounting position wherea board is positioned, the first mounting head section successivelypicking up the components at one of the component supply tables;

thereafter successively mounting the components picked up by the firstmounting head section onto the board;

picking up by a second mounting head section components from the otherof the pair of component supply tables, the second mounting head sectionsuccessively picking up the components at the other of the componentsupply tables; and

thereafter successively mounting the components picked up by the secondmounting head section onto the board,

wherein the picking-up and mounting steps of the first mounting headsection and the picking-up and mounting steps of the second mountinghead section are independently carried out.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is providedthe component mounting method as described in the ninth aspect, whereinthe picking-up step of the first mounting head section and the mountingstep of the second mounting head section are carried out at the sametime, and the mounting step of the first mounting head section and thepicking-up step of the second mounting head section are carried out atthe same time.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there isprovided the component mounting method as described in the ninth aspect,wherein in a component mounting equipment comprising a plurality ofcomponent mounting apparatuses each of which comprises the first andsecond mounting head sections and the pair of component supply tablesbetween which a board transfer path along which the board is supplied tothe board mounting position of the apparatus and discharged from theboard mounting position of the apparatus by a board transfer device isprovided so that the board transfer path connects the board mountingpositions of the component mounting apparatuses, and the componentsupply tables of the component mounting apparatuses are arranged on bothsides of the board mounting positions in the board transfer path,

the picking-up and mounting steps of the first mounting head section andthe picking-up and mounting steps of the second mounting head sectionare sequentially carried out.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided the component mounting method as described in the eleventhaspect, wherein the picking-up step of each of the first mounting headsections and the mounting step of each of the corresponding secondmounting head sections are carried out at the same time, and themounting step of each of the first mounting head sections and thepicking-up step of each of the corresponding second mounting headsections are carried out at the same time.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided the component mounting equipment as described in the eleventhaspect, wherein the components to be mounted onto the single board areall distributed into groups by type, and the components of the groupsare accommodated in the component supply tables of the componentmounting apparatuses as assigned thereto.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, there isprovided the component mounting equipment as described in the twelfthaspect, wherein the components to be mounted onto the single board areall distributed into groups by type, and the components of the groupsare accommodated in the component supply tables of the componentmounting apparatuses as assigned thereto.

With the above arrangement, the component supply table is installedfixedly, and therefore, it becomes free of vibration regardless of thenumber of mounted component supply means which can be mounted thereon.The mounting head section is a robot type which sucks a plurality ofcomponents from the component supply table at one time and thereaftersuccessively mounts the components to specified portions of the board.Therefore, even when the number of components to be mounted on a boardincreases, the component mounting operation speed can be remarkablyincreased further than in the conventional apparatus in which thecomponent supply table is fed at a pitch with respect to the rotary typemounting head section.

Furthermore, components can be mounted by the two of the first andsecond mounting head sections onto the of the board positioned in asingle board mounting position, and therefore, the component mountingoperation speed can be further increased.

With the above arrangement of the fifth and sixth aspects and theeleventh and twelfth aspects, by mounting different components on thecomponent supply tables installed at each of the component mountingapparatuses, the component supply tables are inevitably arranged on bothsides of the board transfer path along it even when the types and thenumber of components to be mounted onto the board increase. Therefore,the equipment does not dimensionally increase as a whole withoutexpanding significantly in the direction of the board transfer path.Furthermore, the mounting head sections of the component mountingapparatuses operate at high speed and the component supply tables arefixedly installed, and therefore, the component mounting operation speedcan be increased.

With the above arrangement of the thirteenth and fourteenth aspects,when the types of boards are increased, the equipment can cope with itonly by replacing a specified one of the component supply tablesinstalled at the respective component mounting apparatuses with acomponent supply table mounted with components required type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome clear from the following description taken in conjunction withthe preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view schematically showing component mountingequipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the component mountingapparatus of the present invention, the apparatus being a part of theabove equipment;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operating mechanism section of the aboveapparatus;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the above apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing construction for performing thecontrol operation of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional component mountingapparatus; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the above conventional apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to benoted that like parts are designated by like reference numeralsthroughout the accompanying drawings.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below withreference to FIGS. 1 through 4.

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view schematically showing component mountingequipment (component mounting line) according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. In the figure, four component mounting apparatuses27A through 27D are provided along a board transfer path 21, and fourboard transfer means 22 are provided for the component mountingapparatuses 27A through 27D along the board transfer path 21 in thelateral direction so that each board transfer means 22 supplies a boardto be mounted with components to a board mounting position of one of thecomponent mounting apparatuses and discharges the board therefrom. Thecomponent mounting apparatuses 27A through 27D have an identical basicstructure, and therefore, the component mounting apparatus 27D is takenas an example to be described below with reference to FIG. 2 that showsa perspective view of it and FIG. 3 that shows a plan view of itsoperating mechanism section.

In the component mounting apparatus 27D shown in FIG. 2, a laterallyprovided pair of inverted U-shaped support frames 29 are arranged inparallel to each other along the board transfer path 21 while allowingthe board transfer path 21 to penetrate them. Between both the supportframes 29 are arranged two operating frames 30 in parallel to each otheracross the frames 29. The operating frames are supported individuallymovably in a direction perpendicular to the board transfer path 21. Toeach operating frame 30 is mounted a mounting head section 31 movablyalong the operating frame 30. At the mounting head section 31, fourcomponent suction nozzles 33 are provided at regular intervals (atintervals of 90°) around a rotary member 32 that is rotatably supportedaround a horizontal axis. Upon rotating the rotary member 32 at a pitchequal to each interval of the component suction nozzles 33, thecomponent suction nozzles 33 are selectively and sequentially directeddownward to suck a component 34 from a component supply table 28A andmount the sucked component 34 onto a circuit board 37 located at theboard mounting position where the board 37 is positioned by a boardpositioning section 24.

Between both the support frames 29 are inserted the component supplytables 28A from both depthwise sides 20 as moved by casters 40, andthereafter they are fixedly installed in specified positions. Thecomponent supply table 28A is provided with component supply means 12comprised of parts cassettes provided with the aforementioned reels 13.Other than this, as shown in FIG. 25 1, a component supply table 28Bmounted with a stick-shaped component supply means 38 at whichcomponents stored in a pipe member are successively fed to a take-outposition, a component supply table 28C on which bulk components 39 areplaced, and a tray-shaped component supply table 28D are installed atthe component mounting apparatuses 27A through 27D. It is to be notedthat the tray-shaped component supply table 28D is provided with amounting head section 59 having a pivot arm shape for taking out thecomponents thereof.

In FIG. 3, each operating frame 30 houses therein a head positioningmechanism section 41 for moving the mounting head section 31 in thelengthwise direction of the board transfer path 21.

The head positioning mechanism section 41 is comprised of a ball thread43 that is rotatably supported across a pair of support plates 42 fixedto both ends of each operating frame 30, a step motor 47 for rotativelydriving the ball thread 43 via a connecting means 44, and a movingmember 49 in which a nut 48 meshed with the ball 20 thread 43 isinternally fixed and moved in accordance with the rotation of the ballthread 43. The mounting head section 31 is fixed to the moving member 49via a head holder 50, and the head holder 50 is internally provided witha known head elevation mechanism section 51 for vertically moving themounting head section 31.

Each of the support frames 29 houses therein a head feed mechanismsection 52 for moving the head positioning mechanism section 41 via eachoperating frame 30 in a direction perpendicular to the board transferpath The head feed mechanism section 52 is comprised of a ball thread 54that is rotatably supported across a pair of support plates 53 fixed toboth ends of each support frame 29, a step motor 56 for rotativelydriving the ball thread 54 via a connecting means 55, a moving member 57that is fixed to an end portion of each operating frame 30 as meshedwith the ball thread 54 and operates to move the operating frame 30 inaccordance with the rotation of the ball thread 54, and a guide shaft 58that is fixed across the support plates 53 and operates to slidablysupport the operating frame 30 while allowing the guide shaft 58 topenetrate the other end of the operating frame 30. A controller 100controls the operations of the apparatuses 27A–27D and the boardtransfer means 22, because it is connected to them as shown in FIG. 5 inwhich the connection structure of the apparatus 27B is shown as oneexample. The other connection structure of the apparatuses 27A, 27C, and27D are similar to the apparatus 27B.

The operation of the aforementioned component mounting equipment will bedescribed next with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 4. In the componentmounting apparatuses 27A through 27D, the mounting head sections 31 arecontrolled in accordance with a timing at which, while one mounting headsection 31 is sucking components 34 from one of the component supplytables 28A through 28D, the other mounting head section 31 mounts thecomponents 34 onto the circuit board 37. Since both the mounting headsections 31 execute an identical operation except for an operatingtiming shift, only the operation of one mounting head section 31 will benow described.

First, the mounting head section 31 is moved to a position just abovethe component 34 to be sucked by suction on one of the component supplytables 28A through 28D and then positioned (step S1). That is, uponrotating the step motor 47 of the head positioning mechanism section 41by a specified angle in the required rotational direction, the movingmember 49 moves in the lengthwise direction of the board transfer path21 by the ball thread 43 that is rotating integrally with the step motor47, and the mounting head section 31 is moved to a specified componenttake-out position on the one of the component supply tables 28A through28D. In this stage, in regard to the other component supply tables 28Athrough 28C except for the tray-shaped component supply table 28D, thecomponent take-out position is positioned in a straight line extendingalong the board transfer path 21. Consequently, the mounting headsection 31 does not move as positioned in the position until suchcomponents as the parts cassette or the stick fronting the mounting headsection 31 deplete.

When the mounting head section 31 is positioned, the head elevationmechanism section 51 operates to move down the mounting head section 31,the component suction nozzle 33 sucks a component 34, and thereafter themounting head section 31 is slightly moved up by the head elevationmechanism section 51 (step S2). Subsequently, the rotary member 32 ofthe mounting head section 31 is rotated by one pitch, and the nextcomponent suction nozzle 33 is made to front the component take-outposition (step S3). In this stage, it is decided whether or not themounting head section 31 has completed the suction of a specified number(four in this embodiment) of components 34 (step S4). If it has not beencompleted, the same operation as above will be repeated to suck thespecified number of components 34.

When the suction of the specified number of components 34 has beencompleted, the step motor 56 of the head feed mechanism section 52 andthe step motor 47 of the head positioning mechanism section 41 aresimultaneously driven to move the mounting head section 31 onto theboard positioning section 24 via the operating frame 30 in accordancewith the rotation of the ball thread 54 and then position it just abovea specified component mounting position of the circuit board 37 by thehead positioning mechanism section 41 (step S5). Then, the headelevation mechanism section 51 is driven to mount the components thathave been held by the component suction nozzle 33 as sucked thereto ontothe circuit board 37 (step S6). After the mounting head section 31 isslightly moved up by the head elevation mechanism section 51, themounting head section 31 is moved to a position just above the nextcomponent mounting position of the circuit board 37 and then positionedby the operations of the head positioning mechanism section 41 and thehead feed mechanism section 52, and the rotary member 32 is rotated byone pitch, so that the component to be mounted next is made to front thecomponent mounting position (step S7).

In this stage, it is decided whether or not the mounting of all thecomponents 34 that have been held by the mounting head section 31 assucked thereto has been completed (step S8). If it has not beencompleted, the same operation as above will be repeated to mount all thecomponents 34 onto the specified positions of the circuit board 37.

When the specified number of components has been completed at step S8,it is decided whether or not the mounting of all the components 34distributed to the component mounting apparatuses 27A through 27D forthe circuit board 37 positioned in the board positioning section 24 hasbeen completed (step S9). If it has not been completed, the mountinghead sections 31 are moved again above the component supply tables 28Athrough 29D to repeat the suction of the components 34 from thecomponent supply tables 28A through 28D and the mounting of thecomponents 34 onto the circuit board 37 in a manner similar to the aboveuntil the mounting of all the components 34 onto the circuit board 37 iscompleted. When the mounting of all the components 34 onto the circuitboard 37 is completed, each circuit board 37 positioned in the boardtransfer path 21 is fed by a specified pitch to be positioned in theboard positioning sections 24 of the component mounting apparatuses 27Athrough 27D for the next process (step S10), and an operation similar tothe above will be repeated.

In the above component mounting equipment, mutually different componentscan be mounted on the component supply tables 28A through 28D of theplurality (four in this embodiment) of component mounting apparatuses27A through 27D provided in parallel to one another along the boardtransfer path 21. Therefore, when the types and the number of components34 to be mounted onto the circuit 25 board 37 increase, these componentsare mounted on the component supply tables 28A through 28D asdistributed into groups classified by type. With this arrangement, sincethe component supply tables 28A through 28D are mounted with only thecomponents 34 of the respective groups, the tables are not dimensionallyincreased. Furthermore, since the component supply tables 28A through28D are installed perpendicularly to the board transfer path 21 at thecomponent mounting apparatuses 27A through 27D, the equipment is notdimensionally increased as a whole without significantly expanding inthe direction of the board transfer path 21.

Furthermore, since the mounting head section 31 of the componentmounting apparatuses 27A through 27D only operates and the componentsupply tables 28A through 28D are fixedly installed, the tables becomefree of vibration regardless of the number of mounted component supplymeans 12 and 38. Furthermore, the mounting head section 31 sucks at onetime a plurality of components 34 from the component supply tables 28Athrough 28D and successively mounts the 20 components 34 onto thespecified portions of the circuit board 37. Furthermore, the componentmounting apparatuses 27A through 27D are each provided with a pair ofmounting head sections 31 and controls the mounting head sections 31 sothat, while one is sucking components 34, the components 34 that areheld by the other as sucked thereto are mounted to the circuit board 37.With the above arrangement, even when the types and the number ofcomponents 34 to be mounted onto the circuit board 37 increase, thecomponent mounting operation speed can be remarkably increased furtherthan in the conventional apparatus in which the component supply tableis fed at a pitch with respect to the rotary type mounting head section.

When the types of circuit boards 37 increase, it can be coped with onlyby replacing a part of the component supply tables 28A through 28Dinstalled at the component mounting apparatuses 27A through 27D withcomponent supply tables 28A through 28D mounted with required components34. It is to be noted that the component mounting apparatuses 27Athrough 27D can be also used singly.

According to the present invention as described above, there is provideda robot type mounting head section in which the component supply tablesare installed fixedly, and a plurality of components are sucked at onetime from the component supply tables and thereafter transferred to besuccessively mounted onto the specified portions of the board. With thisarrangement, even when the number of components to be mounted onto theboard increases, the component mounting operation speed can beremarkably increased further than in the conventional structure in whichthe component supply table is fed at a pitch with respect to the rotarytype mounting head section. Furthermore, since the laterally providedpair of first and second mounting head sections are mutually controlledin operation in accordance with a timing at which, when one is locatedon the component supply table, the other is located on the boardpositioning section. With this arrangement, components can be mountedonto a single board by a plurality of mounting head sections, andtherefore, the component mounting operation speed can be furtherincreased.

Furthermore, according to the component mounting equipment of thepresent invention, by mounting mutually different components onto thecomponent supply tables of the component mounting apparatuses arrangedin parallel to one another, even when the types and the number ofcomponents to be mounted onto the circuit board increase, the equipmentis not dimensionally increased as a whole without significantlyexpanding in the direction of the board transfer path. Furthermore, thecomponent mounting operation speed can be further increased. In thiscase, there may be provided the structure in which all the components tobe mounted onto single board are distributed into groups by type and thecomponents of each group are mounted on component supply tables asassigned to them installed at the respective component mountingapparatuses. With this arrangement, when the types of boards increase,it can be coped with onlly by replacing a part of the component supplytables of the component mounting apparatuses with component supplytables mounted with the required components.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connectionwith the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to theaccompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes andmodifications are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes andmodifications are to be understood as included within the scope of thepresent invention as defined by the claims unless they depart therefrom.

1. A component mounting method comprising: moving in first and secondorthogonal directions a first mounting head section having firstnozzles, rotating said first mounting head section such that said firstnozzles rotate, and successively picking up components from a firstcomponent supply table arranged on one side of a board transfer path,with said first direction being perpendicular to said board transferpath and said second direction extending along said board transfer path;then successively mounting onto a board, positioned in said boardtransfer path, the components picked up by said first nozzles; moving inthird and fourth orthogonal directions a second mounting head sectionhaving second nozzles, rotating said second mounting head section suchthat said second nozzles rotate, and successively picking up componentsfrom a second component supply table arranged on an opposite side ofsaid board transfer path, with said third direction being parallel tosaid first direction and said fourth direction being parallel to saidsecond direction; then successively mounting onto said board, positionedin said board transfer path, the components picked up by said secondnozzles.
 2. The component mounting method according to claim 1, whereinsuccessively picking up the components by said first nozzles occurssimultaneously with successively mounting the components picked up bysaid second nozzles, and successively picking up the components by saidsecond nozzles occurs simultaneously with successively mounting thecomponents picked up by said first nozzles.
 3. The component mountingmethod according to claim 2, further comprising: after mounting ontosaid board the components picked-up by said first nozzles and thecomponents picked up by said second nozzles, transferring said boardalong said board transfer path to a board processing station.
 4. Thecomponent mounting method according to claim 1, further comprising:after mounting onto said board the components picked-up by said firstnozzles and the components picked up by said second nozzles,transferring said board along said board transfer path to a boardprocessing station.
 5. A component mounting method comprising: providingcomponent mounting stations positioned along a board transfer path, eachof said mounting stations including first and second mounting headsections and first and second component supply tables, each of saidfirst mounting head sections having first nozzles, and each of saidsecond mounting head sections having second nozzles; delivering a boardto said board transfer path; at one of said component mounting stations,moving a corresponding one of said first mounting head sections in firstand second orthogonal directions, rotating said corresponding one ofsaid first mounting head sections such that said first nozzles of saidcorresponding one of said first mounting head sections rotate, andsuccessively picking up components from a corresponding one of saidfirst component supply tables arranged on one side of said boardtransfer path, with said first direction being perpendicular to saidboard transfer path and said second direction extending along said boardtransfer path; then successively mounting onto said board, positioned insaid board transfer path, the components picked up by said first nozzlesof said corresponding one of said first mounting head sections; at saidone of said component mounting stations, moving a corresponding one ofsaid second mounting head sections in third and fourth orthogonaldirections, rotating said corresponding one of said second mounting headsections such that said second nozzles of said corresponding one of saidsecond mounting head sections rotate, and successively picking upcomponents from a corresponding one of said second component supplytables arranged on an opposite side of said board transfer path, withsaid third direction being parallel to said first direction and saidfourth direction being parallel to said second direction; thensuccessively mounting onto said board, positioned in said board transferpath, the components picked up by said second nozzles of saidcorresponding one of said second mounting head sections.
 6. Thecomponent mounting method according to claim 5, wherein successivelypicking up the components by said first nozzles of said correspondingone of said first mounting head sections occurs simultaneously withsuccessively mounting the components picked up by said second nozzles ofsaid corresponding one of said second mounting head sections, andsuccessively picking up the components by said second nozzles of saidcorresponding one of said second mounting head sections occurssimultaneously with successively mounting the components picked up bysaid first nozzles of said corresponding one of said first mounting headsections.
 7. The component mounting method according to claim 6, furthercomprising: after mounting onto said board the components picked-up bysaid first nozzles of said corresponding one of said first mounting headsections and the components picked up by said second nozzles of saidcorresponding one of said second mounting head sections, transferringsaid board along said board transfer path to another one of saidcomponent mounting stations.
 8. The component mounting method accordingto claim 5, further comprising: after mounting onto said board thecomponents picked-up by said first nozzles of said corresponding one ofsaid first mounting head sections and the components picked up by saidsecond nozzles of said corresponding one of said second mounting headsections, transferring said board along said board transfer path toanother one of said component mounting stations.